


Senses

by whyarewelikethis



Category: Dora the Explorer (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-17
Updated: 2016-11-17
Packaged: 2018-08-31 14:44:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8582440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whyarewelikethis/pseuds/whyarewelikethis
Summary: Years after the onset of blindness halted Dora's adventuring career, she finds other ways to be involved in life.





	

**Author's Note:**

> i was searching through old google docs and found this gem, written in 2012. i have no idea why it was written, but i felt the internet should share in its existence.

Dora Marquez sits in her study, reminiscing about her childhood. Those days when she could explore the countryside and live for adventure. She may have needed help from her friends sometimes to find her way, but doesn’t everyone? Now, she is a prisoner in her own home, held captive by her own eyes. Now, she is entirely dependant on those friends, especially Boots, who lives with her, acting as her eyes.

She skims her fingers over the braille, bound chronicles of their adventures he had printed when she could no longer read the words on the pages of her journals. Although the Map had long fallen to inanimacy, before he did, he had reshaped himself, forming raised bumps to represent the lines and images on his surface. Dora has been legally blind since she was 18, and her vision has only gotten worse since then. At this point, at 35, she is entirely blind.

She stands, tracing her fingers along to edge of the desk in order to find her way to the bookshelf in the corner of the room. She runs her hand along to books crowding the shelves, both braille and normal books present. They say reading too much causes blindness... “Was it worth it?” she wonders. “No,” she thinks, “Reading about the adventures of others isn’t worth not being able to have my own.”

She breaks out of her reverie to notice footsteps approaching in the hallway. “Dora?” Boots calls as he knocks on the door.

“Come in,” she replies.

Boots opens the door and steps into the room. Dora closes her useless eyes and imagines what he must look like. He has traded his beloved red rain boots for red sneakers, and she is sure his face must look older yet still as bright as ever. Except when he sees her like this, sees her wallowing in self-pity.

“Diego called,” he announces, “They’re having a get-together at his parents’ house for his dad’s 50th birthday. They’d like you to come.”

“And you?”

“Me too, of course. Come on, Dora, you should get out some time”

“I don’t know...”

“You wouldn’t honestly miss out on a chance to eat his mom’s tostadas, would you? You can still taste, after all.”

“Fine, I suppose I can,” she replied, smiling slightly. “It should be fun.”  _ After all, I can still experience this world with the rest of my senses _ .


End file.
